Method for presetting a vehicle seat

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method for presetting a vehicle seat ( 1 ) for a passenger ( 2 ) using the vehicle seat. Said vehicle seat comprises at least parts of a presetting device ( 12 ). The invention is characterized in that in a first step, information about the passenger is transmitted to the presetting device transmits and in a second step, the vehicle seat ( 1 ) is modified by said presetting device ( 12 ) such that the vehicle seat ( 1 ) adopts as the presetting for the passenger ( 2 ), a first vehicle seat configuration based on the transmitted information.

PRIOR ART

The present invention related to a method for presetting vehicle seats.

Many passengers of vehicles do not set the correct vehicle seatconfiguration when using their vehicle seat. In particular, onrelatively long journeys the unsuitable selection of the vehicle seatconfiguration can lead to back pain and leg difficulties. In an accidentsituation there is also the risk of an incorrectly set vehicle seatprotecting the passenger less than a correctly set vehicle seat. Thisrelates, in particular, to components of the vehicle seat whose settingdoes not implement a considerable improvement in comfort, and thesecomponents are therefore rarely set by the passenger on a regular basis.An example of such a component is a headrest which is intended toprevent excessive extension of neck vertebra of the passenger in anaccident situation. It is therefore desirable for the vehicle seat toindependently assume a vehicle seat configuration which is individuallyadapted and as far as possible optimum if the passenger is going to usethe vehicle seat. In particular, such a presetting is desirable if thevehicle seat is regularly used by alternating passengers such as is thecase, for example, with family cars, pool, vehicles of a company, rentalvehicles or vehicles involved in car sharing.

The prior art includes, for example from document WO 2012/048 100 A2, amethod for setting seats on the basis of a set of information which hasto be determined in a laborious fashion and processed by means ofcomplicated algorithms. For example, said document proposessuperimposing an image of the user on a measuring template in order todetect the set of information.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to make available a method bymeans of which the passenger is provided with a presetting of hisvehicle seat in an uncomplicated way, wherein the passenger must at mostonly slightly correct the presetting. It would be advantageous here ifthe presetting can also be performed when the passenger uses the vehiclefor the first time and before the passenger sits down in the vehicleseat. Furthermore, it would be desirable if the passenger could returnto the presetting of his seat again, for example by activating a knob.

The object is achieved by means of a method for presetting a vehicleseat, wherein the vehicle seat comprises at least parts of a presettingdevice, wherein in a first method step information about the passengeris transmitted to the presetting device, characterized in that in asecond method step the vehicle seat is changed by means of thepresetting device in such a way that the vehicle seat assumes, as apresetting for the passenger, a first vehicle seat configuration whichis based on the transmitted information.

An advantage of the present invention is that the vehicle seatindependently assumes a first vehicle seat configuration which serves asa presetting for the passenger. In particulars to do this the passengerdoes not have to have sat down in the vehicle seat, and the presettingis carried out completely automatically by the presetting device.Furthermore, laborious measuring methods such as, for example, the useof measuring templates in order to obtain the necessary information forthe presetting of the vehicle seat, is advantageously dispensed with. Inparticular, the passenger is relieved of the need to perform laboriousactivation of the means for changing the vehicle seat configuration,which are usually difficult to access. In particular there is provisionthat in the second method step a backrest of the vehicle seat ispivoted, a height setting of a sitting surface is changed, and aninclination of the sitting surface and/or a distance of the vehicle seatfrom a steering wheel of the vehicle are/is changed. In this context itis also conceivable for the depth of the sitting surface to be modified.In particular, one or more changes take place in an electronicallycontrolled fashion. In particular, in the second method step theheadrest is moved into a position which is adapted to the passenger,wherein the headrest can be pivoted, for example, about a pivoting axisand vertically adjusted relative to the sitting surface. The presettingdevice preferably comprises a multiplicity of motors for implementingthe presetting of the vehicle seat.

Advantageous refinements and developments of the invention can be foundin the dependent claims as well as the description with reference to thedrawings.

In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provisionthat the information about the passenger comprises the body sizethereof. In particular, it is provided that the body size is the onlyinformation. A primary presetting of the vehicle seat is preferably madesolely on the basis of the body size. As a a result it is advantageouslypossible to dispense with laboriously determining or inputting otherdimensions (apart from the body size) by means of cameras, touchscreensor the like. Howevers it is also conceivable that the informationcomprises other additional anthropometric data of the passenger whichcan be used as a preference, in order to achieve an even more individualseat setting in a secondary presetting of the vehicle seat. It isadvantageous here compared to the prior art that the presetting devicerequires only a manageable number of data items, in particular only thebody size, in order to set the vehicle seat as satisfactorily aspossible. However, it is also conceivable for the information also tocomprise the passenger's gender, and for the vehicle seat to be presetin a way which is adapted to the passenger's gender. Furthermore, it isconceivable for the information to comprise the passenger's weight.

In a further embodiment, there is provision that the vehicle seatcomprises a fine-setting device, and in a third method step the vehicleseat is transferred from the first vehicle seat configuration to asecond vehicle seat configuration using the fine-setting device. As aresult, the correct and most comfortable setting for the vehicle seatcan advantageously be set by the passenger. In particular, the passengercan adjust the vehicle seat according to his requirements andpreferences. Thanks to the setting in the first vehicle seatconfiguration, only very small changes are required. Preferably, it issufficient if the passenger changes a single variable which determinesthe vehicle seat configuration. As a result, the passenger canadvantageously save time during the setting of the vehicle seat.

In a further embodiment there is provision that the presetting in thesecond method step is carried out on the basis of an algorithm, whereinthe algorithm is based on simulations and/or empirical values. Thealgorithm preferably uses empirical values which have been obtained inadvance within the scope of experiments or studies and/or simulations.In particular, the presetting is performed on the basis of simulationsand by means of investigations carried out on test subjects. It is alsoconceivable that the algorithm is refreshed or at least partiallyrenewed in the form of an update after a certain amount of time.Preferably, only the information about the body size of the passenger isrequired by the algorithm to define the first vehicle seatconfiguration. In particular there is provision that a type of vehicle,the surroundings of the vehicle seat, a general sitting behavior ofpassengers and/or the gender of the passenger are also taken intoaccount in the empirical values.

In a further embodiment there is provision that the information aboutthe passenger is transmitted to the presetting device from

an external source,

a sensor element which is mounted on the vehicle seat,

a sensor element which is mounted in the surroundings of the vehicleseat, and/or

a capacitive sensor. Examples of an external source are mobile terminalssuch as, for example, mobile phones, smartphones, tablets or a camerawhich is arranged, for example, in a residence of the vehicle owner orin the vicinity of the vehicle. In particular it is conceivable that themobile terminal has an application which can communicate with anon-board computer and/or a control device of the vehicle and/or directlywith the presetting device. In this context it is also conceivable thatinformation is transmitted from a database in which the information isstored. The sensors may be, for example, cameras which are directed atthe passenger who is getting into the vehicle or is seated in thevehicle.

In a further embodiment there is provision that further information istransmitted in the first method step, and in the second method step thefurther information is used for presetting the vehicle seat. Forexample, in addition to the body size, another anthropometric feature ofthe passenger is also transmitted, as a result of which allowance can bemade in an advantageous way for the complexity of the human body duringthe presetting. As a result, the presetting can be optimized further. Itis also conceivable that the passenger can optionally preselect betweendifferent possibilities, relating to the driving style, for thepresetting of the vehicle seat. For example, the passenger can decide ona sporty or an economic driving style, and the corresponding presettingof the vehicle seat can be selected and assumed on the basis of thepassenger's selection.

In a further embodiment there is provision that in a fourth method stepa first vehicle seat configuration or second vehicle seat configurationassumed according to the second method step or according to the thirdmethod step is stored in a memory unit, preferably under an ID, as avehicle seat position together with the information received in thefirst method step, and in a fifth method step the stored vehicle seatposition is set by means of the presetting device and/or thefine-setting device if the stored information is transmitted again tothe presetting device. As a result, the setting of the vehicle seat canbe advantageously reproduced for the passenger if the passenger wouldlike to use the vehicle seat again. It is also conceivable that thestored vehicle seat position is stored in an external memory unit, forexample in a customer account of a rental vehicle company. Thepresetting device preferably has a communication means for communicatingwith the external memory unit, and receives the information forpresetting via this communication means. However, it is also conceivablethat the stored vehicle seat position is retrieved again if a referencevalue, which has been stored along with the stored vehicle seatposition, is transmitted to the on-board computer or the presettingdevice. It is also conceivable that a vehicle seat position is storedfor a passenger and the stored vehicle seat position is proposed to afurther passenger as an alternative vehicle seat configuration to thefirst vehicle seat configuration if the information about the passengerand a further passenger transmitted in the first method step is similar.As a result, the passenger is advantageously assisted in selecting thesetting for the vehicle seat.

In a further embodiment there is provision that a warning signal isgenerated if a deviation of the first vehicle seat configuration fromthe second vehicle seat configuration exceeds a critical value. As aresult, the passenger can be advantageously alerted to the fact that theselection which has been made for his vehicle seat configuration iscapable of improvement for technical safety reasons, as a result ofwhich the safety of the vehicle seat is increased further.

In a further embodiment there is provision that in the second methodstep a further component of the vehicle assumes a first componentconfiguration on the basis of the information from the first methodstep, wherein the setting of the further components can also be adjustedindividually for the passenger. In the second method step, the automaticand independent orientation of the steering wheel, of a side mirrorand/or of the central rear view mirror, for example, could be carriedout.

A further subject matter of the present invention is a presetting devicefor presetting a vehicle seat for a passenger, wherein the presettingdevice is configured in such a way that information can be recorded bythe presetting device, and the vehicle seat can be transferredautomatically to a vehicle seat position by means of the presettingdevice.

A further subject matter of the present invention is a software program,wherein the software program has an algorithm which is based onempirical values. As a result, the setting of the vehicle seat canadvantageously be implemented as satisfactorily as possible. In thiscontext, the software can be integrated into a seat control device, intoan infotainment system and/or into an external unit. In this context,the presetting is preferably communicated to the seat control device viaa bus system or a wireless system.

Further details, features and advantages of the invention can be foundin the drawings and in the following description of preferredembodiments with reference to the drawings. The drawings illustrate heremerely exemplary embodiments of the invention which do not restrict theessential inventive concept.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows in schematic form a first exemplary method for presetting avehicle seat according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a second exemplary method for presettinga vehicle seat according to the present invention, and

FIG. 3 shows a method for determining empirical values which serve topreset a vehicle seat according to the present invention.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In the various figures, identical parts are always provided with thesame reference symbols and are therefore as a rule also each specifiedor mentioned only once.

FIG. 1 illustrates a first exemplary method for presetting a vehicleseat 1 according to the present invention. There is provision here thatin a first method step information 10 about a passenger 2 is transmittedto a presetting device 12 which is arranged on the vehicle seat 1,wherein the passenger is in the process of getting into a vehicle 5. Inthis context, the vehicle comprises the vehicle seat. For example, thepresetting device 12 receives the information 10 from a sensor element 4which is arranged on the vehicle 5. However, it is also conceivable thatthe presetting device 12 receives the information 10 from an externalsource 3. External sources 3 may be, for example, a smartphone with asuitable application or a tablet. The passenger 2 preferably enters hisbody size 6 into the application, and the information “body size” 6 istransmitted to the presetting device 12. However, it is also conceivablethat a sensor element 4 is arranged on the vehicle seat 1 or on thevehicle 5, wherein the sensor element 4 transmits the information 10 onthe body size 6. It is also conceivable that the presetting device 12has already stored the body size 6 of the passenger 2 under a referenceterm, and the reference term is input into the application and thepresetting device 12 performs the presetting on the basis of thereference term. It is, for example, conceivable that a fingerprint isstored as a reference for the body size 6, and the fingerprint ismeasured by a fingerprint sensor on the vehicle and is transmitted tothe presetting device 12. In particular, there is provision that thevehicle seat 1 is transferred to a first vehicle seat configuration bymeans of the presetting device 12 on the basis of the receivedinformation, in particular on the basis of the body size 6, the weightor the driving style of the passenger. For this purpose, a backrest ispreferably pivoted relative to a sitting surface of the vehicle seat, itis also conceivable that the vehicle seat 1 is shifted in a longitudinaldirection relative to a bodywork of the vehicle and/or the heightsetting of the vehicle seat is changed. It is also conceivable that theseat depth or seat inclination is changed. A setting for a headrest 21of the vehicle seat 1 preferably also forms part of the first vehicleconfiguration.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration, in a block diagram, of a secondexemplary embodiment of the method according to the present invention.There is provision that the body size 6 and/or other anthropometric dataof the passenger 2 are used for the presetting. The presetting device 12preferably receives the information 10 about the body size 6 or aboutother anthropometric data of the passenger 2. However, it is alsoconceivable that an on-board computer of the vehicle 5 receives the dataor the information first, wherein the on-board computer has acommunicative connection to the presetting device 12 and the on-boardcomputer decides about the presetting and transmits the data, requiredfor presetting, as information 10 to the presetting device 12. Theinformation which comprises the body size 6 and/or other anthropometricdata may have been sent, for example, from a mobile radio terminal or asensor element 4 or a system composed of sensor elements. In particular,the system composed of sensor elements 4 can be a camera system. Thesystem composed of sensor elements 4 or the sensor element 4 preferablyevaluates the measured values directly, determines the body size 6 orother anthropometric data and transmits it as information 10 to theon-board computer or directly to the presetting device 12. Furthermore,there is provision that the on-board computer or the presetting device12 has an analysis device, wherein the analysis device selects a firstvehicle seat configuration on the basis of the received informationabout the body size 6 and/or about other anthropometric data of thepassenger, wherein the first vehicle seat configuration is adapted tothe body size 6 and/or to other anthropometric data. In particular,there is provision that the first vehicle seat configuration isdetermined by the analysis device on the basis of an algorithm. Thealgorithm will preferably define the first vehicle seat configuration onthe basis of empirically detected values. The empirical values arepreferably included as parameters, in the sense of values 11 gained fromexperience, in the algorithm. Furthermore, both a hardware component 15and a software component 16 are provided, wherein the software componentcomprises the algorithm and the analysis device, and the hardwarecomponent comprises means for adjusting the vehicle seat.

FIG. 3 shows by way of example methods for determining empirical values11, wherein the empirical values 11 are used for the algorithm whichdefines the first vehicle seat configuration. In a first method fordetermining empirical values 11, the passenger is simulated using a testdummy 13, and on the basis of the simulation in the second method stepan optimum first vehicle seat configuration is determined for thepassenger 2. This is illustrated in the top illustration in FIG. 3. In asecond method for determining empirical values 11, different testsubjects 14 are positioned as passengers in the vehicle seat and areused to select a presetting for the vehicle seat configuration. This isillustrated in the bottom illustration in FIG. 3. In a third method fordetermining empirical values 11, the passenger 2 is simulated on acomputer. A combination of the presented methods for determiningempirical values 11 for the algorithm is preferably used. In particular,the settings are selected on the basis of empirical, in particularergoncroic, investigations and knowledge.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 Vehicle seat

2 Passenger

3 External source

4 Sensor element

5 Vehicle

6 Body size

7 Steering wheel

10 Information

11 Empirical values

12 Presetting device

13 Dummy

14 Test person

15 Part of software

16 Part of hardware

21 Headrest

1. A method for presetting a vehicle seat for a passenger using thevehicle seat, wherein the vehicle seat comprises at least parts of apresetting device, wherein in a first method step, information about thepassenger is transmitted to the presetting device, wherein in a secondmethod step the vehicle seat changed by means of the presetting devicein such a way that the vehicle seat assumes, as a presetting for thepassenger, a first vehicle seat configuration which is based on thetransmitted information.
 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe information about the passenger comprises the body size thereof. 3.The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle seat comprises afine-setting device, and in a third method step the vehicle seat istransferred from the first vehicle seat configuration to a secondvehicle seat configuration using the fine-setting device.
 4. The methodas claimed in claim 1, wherein the presetting in the second method stepis carried out on the basis of an algorithm, wherein the algorithm isbased on simulations and/or empirical values.
 5. The method as claimedin claim 1, wherein the information about the passenger is transmittedto the presetting device from; a) an external source, b) a sensorelement which is mounted on the vehicle seat, c) a sensor element whichis mounted in the surroundings of the vehicle seat, d) a prestoreddatabase, and/or e) a capacitive sensor,
 6. The method as claimed inclaim 1, wherein further information is transmitted in the first methodstep, and in the second method step the further information is used forpresetting the vehicle seat.
 7. The method as claimed in claim 3,wherein in a fourth method step, the first vehicle seat configuration orthe second vehicle seat configuration assumed according to the secondmethod step or according to the third method step is stored in a memoryunit as a stored, vehicle seat position together with the informationreceived in the first method step, and in a fifth method step the storedvehicle seat position is set by means of the presetting device and/orthe fine-setting device if the stored information is transmitted againto the presetting device.
 8. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein awarning signal is generated if a deviation of the first vehicle seatconfiguration from the second vehicle seat configuration exceeds acritical value.
 9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein in thesecond method step, a further component of the vehicle assumes a firstcomponent configuration on the basis of the information from the firstmethod step.
 10. A presetting device for presetting a vehicle seat for apassenger, wherein the presetting device is configured in such a waythat information can be recorded by the presetting device, and thevehicle seat can be transferred automatically to a vehicle seat positionby means of the presetting device.
 11. A software program for thepresetting device as claimed in claim 10.